Klinsmann sees bright Bayern future

Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann is hopeful that his side are finally starting to near top form, after seeing them sweep aside Fiorentina 3-0 in the Champions League.

Klinsmann's team currently lie 11th in the Bundesliga table, having won just three times from eight league games this term, but Bayern showed much-improved form on Tuesday evening to see off their Italian visitors.

Goals from Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ze Roberto saw off La Viola, with Klinsmann upbeat about the prospects for the coming months.

He told the club's official website: "It was a very important win for us, as it gives us even more impetus for the coming weeks. That's how we want to go on.

"Even in the first ten minutes, I sensed we were up for it, we were alive, we didn't shirk a tackle and we put our opponents under pressure.

"We knew Fiorentina were a good team, capable of counter-attacking at speed and we knew they'd create chances.

"I take great confidence from our physical condition. We're in good shape, and we're just starting to see the results of our extremely demanding training over the last three months.

"We're also developing an element of consistency."

However, Bayern's victory came at a cost, with Germany left-back Philipp Lahm forced to leave the field at half-time due to a calf problem.

The 24-year-old will have tests on the problem on Wednesday, with coach Klinsmann anxiously waiting to find out the seriousness of Lahm's injury.

Meanwhile, Schalke have suspended Uruguayan pair Gustavo Varela and Carlos Grossmuller for disciplinary reasons.

Club general manager Andreas Muller and coach Fred Rutten have demoted the duo to the reserve team squad, although the Bundelsiga outfit have refused to discuss the exact nature of the problem.

Muller stated: "For disciplinary reasons we came to his conclusion, but we will not go public over exactly what happened."

Elsewhere, Energie Cottbus have decided not to appeal against Igor Mitreski's sending-off in the 1-0 weekend loss at Koln.

Mitreski was red-carded for a late challenge on Fabrice Ehret and will now sit out the clashes with Eintracht Frankfurt, Arminia Bielefeld and Schalke as a consequence.